A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Legislative Updatesand
Congressional Action
on School Construction

(3/30/2000) - House leaders postponed consideration of H.R. 7. Representatives Johnson and Rangel were expected to request a Motion to Recommit the bill to committee with instructions to substitute the Education Savings Account and arbitrage provision with their compromise agreement.

State by State Numbers : The allocations to each state under H.R. 4094.

(3/22/2000) -- The House Ways and Means Committee passed H.R. 7 which includes provisions to expand arbitrage benefits on school construction bonds. Representatives Johnson and Rangel offered their compromise agreement as a substitute for the Education Savings Account and arbitrage provisions; it was rejected by a voice vote.

(3/2/2000): S. 1134 was passed by the Senate by a vote of 61-37. This bill did not contain the Administration's school modernization package of tax-credit bonds, loans and grants for school construction and renovation. The bill would expand support for arbitrage and would allow private activity bonds to be used for school construction.

Senate School House Chart . This chart illustrates the number of schools that could be built or modernized under the Johnson-Rangel Compromise, H.R. 4094, compared to the House Ways and Means plan, S.1134

(3/2/2000) - Senator Robb offered an amendment to S. 1134 on the Senate floor to strike education savings accounts provisions and instead provide $25 billion for school modernization bonds and authorize $1.3 billion for no-interest loans and grants each year for 5 years for repair and renovation. The amendment was rejected by a vote of 57-42.

(2/29/2000) -- Senator Harkin introduced S. 2124, which would authorize grants and loans to provide financial assistance for the urgent repair and renovation of public elementary and secondary schools in high-need areas.

(2/29/2000) -- Representative Clay Introduced H.R. 3705 - Public Renovation and Repair Act of 2000- which would authorize grants and loans to provide financial assistance for the urgent repair and renovation of public elementary and secondary schools in high-need areas.